State Technical Committee and Local Work Groups

Purpose

The State Technical Advisory Committee provides recommendations for establishing technical guidelines and program criteria and priorities necessary to carry out conservation provisions of the Farm Bill. Roles and responsibilities include providing advice on issues such as:

• State program management policies and procedures
• Technical programmatic recommendations
• Statewide public information and outreach campaigns
• Identifying significant statewide natural resource concerns
• Guidelines for developing ranking criteria for evaluating applications
• Guidance on eligible conservation practices
• Technical guidance on conservation practices, including new, innovative practices
• Cost-share rates and incentive payment limits and methods of payment
• Identifying, monitoring, and analyzing performance indicators
• Evaluating and reporting program impacts on natural resources and the environment
• Coordinating with other Federal, State, Tribal and local public and private activities

The NRCS State Conservationist

• acts as Committee Chair
• ensures equal representation of interests
• seriously considers the Committee's technical advice
• provides notice of public meetings.

The Committee is composed of individuals representing a variety of natural resource sciences and occupations that include soil, water, air, plants, wetlands, and wildlife.

Directors are asked to provide their designated representative for this committee on the State Technical Committee Contact and Sub-Committee Designation Form.

Announcements

In the meeting held in June, 2006, the State Technical Committee and various sub-committees were discussed. Sub-committees to the Committee are vital to the Committee's success.

The sub-committees' tasks include reviewing statewide priorities, making recommendations to conservation practice lists and associated average costs, reviewing ranking worksheets, and review and make recommendations to proposed special projects or initiatives.

If you are interested in participating in one (or more) of the sub-committees (EQIP, WHIP/WRP, FRPP, CSP), please ask Vicky Bennett at (602) 280-8788 or vicky.bennett@az.usda.gov to place your name, address, etc., on the particular sub-committee (s) for which you have interest. You are welcomed to serve on more than one sub-committee if you chose.

Meetings

Meetings will be held at the NRCS State Office (230 N. 1st Avenue), from 9:00 am until 12:00 noon, in the 3rd floor conference room, Phoenix, Arizona, unless otherwise stated.

State Technical Committee Meeting dates for FY09 are:  January 6 February 17, 2009; April 7, 2009; July 7, 2009; and October 6, 2009.

Minutes of past meetings:

• October 7, 2008

• July 8, 2008

• Archives

Report any problems on this page to Vicky Bennett.